Chicago Mayor winner?
$65.0K
FEB 24, 2027
General Election
Voters choose the office holder.
Overview
Current roleState Representative
PartyDemocratic
Political ideologyProgressive Democrat
LocationIllinois
BackgroundIllinois state representative
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EducationUniversity of Illinois (Class of 2007)
Notable personal detailsKam Buckner is a Democratic member of the Illinois House of Representatives for the 26th District, serving since January 2019 and holding the leadership title Speaker Pro Tempore. He represents areas on Chicago’s South Side and downtown lakefront neighborhoods. Buckner is a University of Illinois alumnus and former college football player.
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Positions
Economy & Taxes
Supports targeted tax increases on high-value actors (billionaires, large events/streaming) and expanded assistance for modest-income families (child tax credit), while opposing broad taxes on most residents and some business head taxes. Advocates fiscal responsibility and transparency in public spending and uses tax policy to fund transit and social programs.
Healthcare
Supports expanding access to affordable healthcare through state reforms, protections against insurer abuses, and targeted public program expansions (including Medicaid-related maternal health supports and measures to lower prescription and insurance costs). Has sponsored and backed state legislation to curb premium increases, limit short-term plans, stop step-therapy abuses, and expand maternal and caregiver supports under Medicaid.
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Immigration & Border
Supports welcoming migrants and expanding local/state responses rather than treating recent arrivals as a crisis; places primary responsibility for immigration policy on the federal government while urging state and city action (especially housing) to absorb newcomers. Advocates pragmatic reforms to accommodate migrants (e.g., more housing capacity) rather than enforcement-first measures.
Abortion & Reproductive Rights
Kam Buckner has publicly supported protecting and expanding access to reproductive health care, including co-sponsoring the Illinois Reproductive Health Care Act and actions to make reproductive health medications and emergency contraception more accessible. He has described bodily autonomy and reproductive rights as important protections to preserve in Illinois. His legislative and public statements emphasize keeping Illinois a haven for reproductive rights and expanding maternal and reproductive health services.
Climate & Energy
Supports state- and city-level clean energy measures, workforce development for green jobs, electrification of transit (CTA and school buses), and implementation of the Climate and Equitable Jobs Act to move Illinois toward clean energy. Emphasizes equity in the transition and incentives for environmentally conscious businesses.
Public Safety & Guns
Supports significant firearm restrictions including Illinois’ assault-weapons ban and laws targeting untraceable “ghost guns,” and has sponsored legislation to regulate/serialize ghost guns and tighten law-enforcement hiring to improve public safety.
News
Kam Buckner is being mentioned in coverage about Chicago’s worsening budget crisis and the broader debate over how Democrats handle city finances. The latest reporting says Chicago faces a budget gap of more than $1 billion, with criticism focused on debt, pension costs, and the city’s spending approach. A separate piece ties that fiscal pressure to growing scrutiny of public-sector union influence in city governance, but no specific new action by Buckner is described in the summaries.
Endorsements
Endorsers of Kam Buckner for Chicago Mayor winner?
Chicago Tribune editorial board
Public endorsement
Chicago Tribune editorial board endorsed Kam Buckner.
National Association of Social Workers, Illinois Chapter
Advocacy group
NASW-IL endorsed Kam Buckner in the 2026 Illinois primary election.
New updates coming soon
We're monitoring and will update when new data impacts the race.
- Polls
- Fundraising